Malaysia's household borrowing cools, business loans hold firm
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s household borrowing and loan applications have softened in August amid persistent cost-of-living pressures, although business lending remained firm.
Malaysia's household borrowing has cooled in August, with loan applications contracting by 5.1% year-on-year, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd (HLIB). However, business lending remained robust, accelerating to 8.0% year-on-year, driven by sectors such as information and communication, electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply, as well as real estate activities.
The cooling in household borrowing is attributed to persistent cost-of-living pressures, and HLIB anticipates that the 2027 Budget will prioritize measures to alleviate household burdens, including continued subsidies and higher social assistance. Meanwhile, Malaysia's narrow money supply (M1) growth accelerated to 9.2% year-on-year, while broad money supply (M3) growth eased to 5.0%.
Foreign investors returned as net buyers of Malaysian bonds in August, recording net inflows of RM11.1 billion, while local equities recorded a net outflow of RM2.0 billion.
Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
